Device for receiving and controlling voided urine

ABSTRACT

Indicators ( 4 ) are provided on one side of an indicator carrier ( 5 ) for controlling urine which has been caught in a measuring cell ( 1 ). The indicators can be perceived through a window ( 3 ). The measuring cell ( 1 ) is provided with an inlet on the side opposite the window ( 3 ). The aim of the invention is to guide urine from the inlet ( 6 ) to the indicators  94 ). To this end, the inventive device has a fluid transport means ( 9 ), e.g., blotting paper, which can transport fluid by virtue of the capillarity thereof. A soaking material, e.g., a soaking cushion, can be arranged between the inlet ( 6 ) and the indicator carrier ( 5 ). Said cushion becomes soaked and locks the inlet ( 6 ) when catching urine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention concerns a device for receiving and examining voidedurine and, in particular, urine uncontrollably voided.

A device of this type is already known from the European Patent No. EP 0560 099 A2. This refers to a coating which wraps and, sometimes, definesthe inner space of the device. This coating has at least one passage tolet the liquid being examined, urine, flow into the inner part of thedevice for a pre-determined period of time. Moreover, a device to absorbthe liquid, urine, into the inner part of the device as well as a meansto stop the flow of the liquid is provided. The composition of theliquid to be examined is determined by means of suitable indicatingcards (check-up cards). Because of the limited construction of thesecards, their use implies a disadvantage as far as the related reading ofthe results is concerned, seeing that they cannot be seen from the sideof the device bordering with the liquid to be examined.

The European Patent No. EP 0 438 482 B1 also describes a similar devicefor the absorption and examination of, in this case, uncontrollablyvoided urine; the device consists of a small measuring cell in the formof an “examination card”, which is placed inside a transparentcollecting bag, into which the urine flows by means of an inlet tube.The examination card is provided with indicators, to which urine isexposed, to examine the urine collected in terms of developing andexisting pathogen infections, which, for example, correspond to the pH,nitrite, leukocyte and electolyte values in the urine. The examinationcard is covered by a membrane, on the side exposed to the urine, whichslows down the urines absorption, causing the urine to penetrate theindicators in a slower manner thus preventing incorrect measurements byreading the high pathogenic concentrations of the urine initiallyabsorbed between the membrane and the indicators. Another swellingmaterial is located which swells after the urine flows into themeasuring cell and, by pushing against the membrane, causes the membraneto close after a set period of time. This action counteracts theflushing out of the indicating substances.

In this known measuring cell, the indicators can be observed by means ofa transparent external film, acting as a viewing window on the sidelying opposite the membrane, because, on the other side, the indicatorsare covered by the swelling material. This material must lie directly atthe rear side of the indicators, so that these can be slowly soaked withurine from the back until a color transfer takes place, which can beseen from the viewing window.

Very good indicators for this known device are available commerciallywhich, due to manufacturing and technical reasons and because of theirotherwise different use (as for example direct moisturising with urineto identify disease) are used on synthetic strips that are at leastlightly opaque and almost white. When these indicators are used in theknown device, they must be placed with their upper surface lying againstthe swelling material, so that the color transfer can be detected bymeans of the synthetic strips. However, given the minimal transparencyof the material of which the strips are made, the color transfer can notbe clearly determined and, in particular, the intensity of the colortransfer is difficult to perceive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to improve a known device so that thedetection of the color transfer in the indicators and the reliability ofthe resulting interpretation can be improved in order to allow a clearand reliable determination of the urines composition. Moreover, it mustbe possible to adjust the device to different fields of application.

This object is achieved, in accordance with the present invention, byproviding a device of the type described above having at least oneviewing window to which the indicators can be seen, wherein theindicators are arranged on a side bordering the viewing window of anindicator holder, and wherein a liquid transporting means suitable forthe transport of liquids due to its capillary action, wraps theindicator holder at the end of the inflow opening and is connected withat least one area of one indicator on one side bordering the viewingwindow.

Thus, this invention proposes the use of standard indicators arranged ona non-transparent holder and which can be seen through a viewing windowin the measuring cell. In order to get the urine from the inflowopening, located on the side opposite the measuring cell, into theindicators, a liquid transporting means is used—foil paper—which, thanksto its capillaries, is suitable for the transport of liquids.

As in the known measuring cell, a swelling material can also be used inthis case—a swelling fleece—, which is arranged between the indicatorholder and the inflow opening and which swells as a result of the urinesabsorption and which closes the inflow opening of the measuring cellafter a few minutes.

Within the framework of another variation of the device according to theinvention, which is used especially in incontinence absorbing means(diapers), a separate swelling cushion is not used and the indicatorholder is wrapped with foil paper or a similar capillary material. Herethe seal of the system is of secondary importance. In this case, thefoil paper first allows the penetration of the liquid into the measuringcell and then, because of the small inflow openings used, the airpressure inside the measuring cell prevents the liquid from penetrating.

The quantity of leukocytes pro volume is determined as follows: Theindicators contain indoxylester, which is cleft by means ofgranulocyte-esterase. It is subsequently possible to determine thequantity of leukocytes pro volume through the granulocyte-esteraseconcentration. The split product released, indoxyl, reacts with thediosonium salt in the indicators by producing a purple pigment. Thecolor transfer can range between beige and purple, depending on theconcentration.

In order to improve the detection of the leukocyte quantity, especiallyin case of a very small leukocyte concentration, within the framework ofthe invention, it is proposed to impregnate the used foil paper withindoxylester, in addition to the indicators. In this way more indoxyl isreleased and a darker hue is obtained due to the higher concentration ofindoxylester because of the granulocyte-esterase. A darker colortransfer is qualitatively more meaningful and much more stable than alighter one because the detection is qualitatively improved.

In order to improve the reliability of the system even more, it is alsoproposed to adopt a more permeable foil paper to prevent the foil paperfrom retaining the relatively high quantity of leukocytes. The foilpaper can be made more permeable by giving it grooves.

It is also proposed to prepare the foil paper with substances which canpositively affect the reaction process of the indicators regarding colorstabilization, sensitivity, and the foil's features. This preventschanges to the indicators contained in the measuring cell, after a longtime (15–20 minutes). In this context, an indicator strip can bereplaced with a specifically prepared paper or an additional soakedpaper can be integrated into the test strips.

In order to function better, the different indicators need highquantities of test liquid. It is, therefore, proposed to design theconveying band for the test liquid with various widths, in order tocontrol the quantity of the test liquid.

For a full understanding of the present invention, reference should nowbe made to the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the deviceaccording to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the deviceaccording to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a depiction of the foil paper back side according to apreferred embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be describedwith reference to FIGS. 1–3 of the drawings. Identical elements in thevarious figures are designated with the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1, the device for the absorption and the examination ofuncontrollably voided urine includes a closed and flat measuring cell 1preferably made of PP-foil with a rear supporting foil 2 and a frontsee-through foil creating a transparent area, which works as a viewingwindow 3. Behind the viewing window 3, the indicators 4 are arranged onan indicator holder 5. One single 1 millimeter wide inflow opening 8 islocated on the back support foil.

Moreover, a swelling material in the measuring cell 1 is preferablyfitted with a swelling cushion 7, which is lined with a foil 7 a andfitted with one single 1 millimeter wide inflow opening 6. The inflowopenings 6 and 8 are located one directly behind the other.

A liquid transporting means 9, which in this implementation is a foilpaper sheet suitable for the transport of liquids due to its capillaryaction, surrounds the swelling cushion 7, the indicator holder 5 and theindicators 4, in which one edge of the foil paper lies next to theinflow openings 6, 8 and the other edge covers an edge area of all theindicators.

The device works as follows: Through the inflow openings 6, 8, the urinereaches the swelling cushion 7, which swells as a result. In the middleof the capillary foil paper used as the liquid transporting means 9, asmall amount of urine is simultaneously absorbed which is transportedaround the swelling cushion 7 and the transparent indicator holder 5 tothe indicators 4. The volume of the swelling cushion 7 increases withthe swelling process and, as a result, the measuring cell closes after afew minutes. The capillary foil paper used as a liquid transportingmeans 9 can obviously be replaced by another means, for example a wickor a suitable liquid transport means not made of cellulose material.

FIG. 2 shows another variation of the invention, which should be usedespecially with absorbing incontinence means (diapers). In this case,unlike the implementation described at the beginning, no separateswelling cushion is used because the sealing of the system, in thiscase, is of secondary importance. The foil paper stretches over anotherarea and wraps the whole rear side of the indicator holder 5. Thisimplementation has a very short reaction time and the indicators needonly a small quantity of urine. As a variation to this implementationexample embodiment, a swelling cushion can also be used which wrapsaround the indicator holder and is connected to an edge area of theindicator. In this way the swelling cushion and the liquid transportmeans are the same thing.

According to the invention, both implementations described can improvethe detection of the leukocyte quantity, especially in case of a verysmall concentration of leukocytes, by using foil paper impregnated withindoxylester. As described at the beginning, the higher concentration ofindoxylester causes more indoxyl to be released with a consequent darkerand qualitatively more meaningful coloration.

The application of the principle that the foil paper should be preparedwith substances which can positively affect the reaction process of theindicators with regard to color stabilization, sensitivity, the featuresof the foil, can be achieved within the framework of another variationof the invention.

According to FIG. 3, the foil strips 10 of the liquid transporting means9 have been designed with different widths in order to control thequantity of the test liquid, given that, to ensure better functionality,the various indicators need different quantities of test liquid. Forexample, the right foil strip is wider than the other two in order toensure a higher level of reliability and more transparency.

There has thus been shown and described a novel device for receiving andcontrolling voided urine which fulfills all the objects and advantagessought therefor. Many changes, modifications, variations and other usesand applications of the subject invention will, however, become apparentto those skilled in the art after considering this specification and theaccompanying drawings which disclose the preferred embodiments thereof.All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses andapplications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of theinvention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is to belimited only by the claims which follow.

1. In a device for the absorption and the examination of voided urine,in the form of a measuring cell, which comprises at least one inflowopening, a plurality of indicators arranged on an indicator holder andat least one viewing window creating a transparent area, through whichthe indicators can be seen, wherein the indicators are arranged on aside bordering the viewing window of an indicator holder, and wherein aliquid transporting means, suitable for the transport of liquids due toits capillary action, extends from the inflow opening to the indicatorholder and is connected with at least one area of one indicator whereinthe improvement comprises: the liquid transporting means wraps theindicator holder and is connected with an area of each indicator on theside bordering the viewing window.
 2. The device according to claim 1,wherein a swelling material is placed between the indicator holder andthe inflow opening.
 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein theswelling material is a swelling cushion made of swelling foil.
 4. Thedevice according to claim 3, wherein the swelling cushion is lined witha film and the film is provided with an inflow opening, and wherein theinflow openings, the measuring cell and the swelling cushion are placeddirectly one behind the other.
 5. The device according to claim 1,wherein the liquid transporting means reaches the area of the inflowopening.
 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquidtransporting means wraps around the back side of the indicator holder.7. The device according to claim 2, wherein the liquid transportingmeans is part of the swelling material.
 8. The device according to claim1, wherein the liquid transporting means is foil paper.
 9. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the liquid transporting means is amaterial made of non-cellulose material.
 10. The device according toclaim 1, wherein the liquid transporting means is impregnated withindoxylester to improve the detection of the leukocyte quantity provolume, such that due to the higher concentration of indoxylester, moreindoxyl is released with a consequent darker and qualitatively moremeaningful coloration of the indicators.
 11. The device according toclaim 1, wherein the liquid transporting means is prepared withsubstances which positively affect a reaction process of the indicatorswith regard to color stabilization and sensitivity.
 12. The deviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising conveying bands of differentwidth arranged on the liquid transporting means to control the quantityof the urine in such a way that the various indicators can receive aquantity of test liquid necessary to ensure perfect functionality. 13.The device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring cell is made ofPP-foil.